Smile
by SpookyClaire
Summary: “I’m going to die…aren’t I?” tears streamed down Kate’s face as she heard these words pass from her son’s lips. “No honey,” she whispered “You’re gonna be fine.” Read and Review please! This is a tissue tale! So get ready to cry[sadly and happily]!


**Smile**

**Summery**: "I'm going to die…aren't I?" tears streamed down Kate's face as she heard these words pass from her son's lips. "No honey," she whispered "You're gonna be fine." Read and Review please! This is a tissue tale! So get ready to crysadly and happily!

Ages same as in my other CbtD story (12SB1) except for Nigel and Kyle, they're only 6 in this one.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I'm going to die…aren't I?"

Tears streamed down Kate's face as she heard these words pass from her son's lips.

"No honey," she whispered "You're gonna be fine."

She caressed her eldest son's cheek as she watched his weak body slowly allow him to sleep. He had had another vomiting fit. He always did after chemo. She prayed he would make it to Christmas. She prayed he would live through this. All the way through.

This wasn't fair! He had so much going for him! He was going to college soon! He had a future…this isn't fair…

Kate remembered back when they had first found he had it…

Xxxxxxxxxxx 4 Months Earlier xxxxxxxxxxX

Kate and Tom baker walked through the park, their children all scattered around. They had sent Lory and Charlie to make sure they were behaving.

Then there was the sound of a tree branch cracking, then

"OW! Shit!" came a cry

"Omigod! Charlie! I'm so sorry!" came their daughter Sarah's voice.

The two sighed and walked over to see what had happened.

Charlie was holding his right hand a blood seeped through his fingers. Kate quickly ran to her son

"What happened?"

"Sarah was climbing the tree, she fell and the goddamn branch stabbed me." He said through clenched teeth

"I'm so so so so so so so sorry…" Sarah kept repeating over and over again.

"Sarah! It's ok." He reassured his little sister

"Come on to the car Char, I'll clean it up." His mother urged.

Seeing as the car was on the other side of the park it took about 3 or 4 minutes to get to it. By then Charlie's face was pale white and his whole lower right sleeve was drenched in blood.

Kate was walking in front of her son and didn't see this.

"Mom…" Charlie murmured, feeling weak and tiered from the blood loss

His mother turned "Hmmm---? OMIGOD! Charlie!" If she hadn't rushed to his side and caught him, he would have collapsed to the floor, she screamed at the top of her lungs "TOM!" fear was exploding inside of her, why wouldn't he stop bleeding?

She prayed it wasn't what she thought it was. Her father died of cancer when he was in his 40s. But no, Charlie was only 18! He couldn't have it…

No, he was her baby…

"Kate?" Tom gasped as he made his way over.

"We need to get him…" she started, not wanting to say hospital.

She looked up to see her children walking over; Tom quickly picked up Charlie and put him in the back of the car.

"Mom?"

"What's happening?"

"Lory," Kate ordered handing her daughter the keys to the van "Take them home."

"Mom, does he have--?"

"Just take them home!" Kate cried, starting to lose it.

Lory nodded and turned to the kids who were only now making it over to them.

"Get in the van! We're going home!" Lory called to the kids in her 'This is no time to ask questions' voice; the kids nodded and ran to the van.

Xxxxxxxxxxx 2 Hours Later xxxxxxxxxxX

Kate sat in the front seat of the car, he son's blood still on her pants. She stared straight ahead, in a zombie like state. Her son was resting peacefully back at the hospital.

He had told her to go home and sleep. Not wanting her to have to sleep in the uncomfortable hospital chair.

The husband and wife pulled into their driveway and got out of the car. Kate opened the door and leaned against it for a minute once inside. Tears formed in here eyes, one lone tear slid down her cheek.

"Mom?" came he oldest child's voice.

She turned to see all her children staring at her from the living room. She looked at her husband.

Nora walked to her mom.

"Lory called," she said in a low voice "She said he wouldn't stop bleeding…is it…?" Nora, Charlie and Lory had been the only ones alive when Kate's father had died. They were the only ones who knew about the cancer in the genetics besides Kat and Tom.

Kate let out a sob and nodded. Nora gasped as her hands flew to her mouth. Kate then broke down; Nora pulled her mother into a hug and let her sob on her shoulder.

"Dad? What happened?" asked Sarah whose eyes were blood shot from crying, she felt his trip to the hospital was her fault.

"Kids, um…why-why don't you all go into the living room and sit down. We need to talk to you."

"Why is mommy crying?" asked Kyle once they were all seated, Tom, Kate and Nora, who still had an arm around her crying mother stood in front of the family, unsure of what to say "Where's Charlie?" asked Jessi and Kim in trembling voices

"He—he's still at the hospital, he has to stay the night."

A loud sob escaped Sarah as she hid her face in Lory's comforting shoulder. The girls were surprisingly getting along.

"What happened?" asked Henry apprehensively

"He—he has…" Kate couldn't go on and started crying again

"Charlie…he—he's very sick…"

"How sick is very sick?" asked Lory fearfully that Charlie had what her grandpa had died of.

"He has leukemia." Nora blurted out, Kate sobbed loudly and hid her face in her husbands shirt.

The children sat shocked.

No…it couldn't be! They were the Bakers 12! Not 11! No…this couldn't be…it just couldn't…

Xxxxxxxxxxx Hospital xxxxxxxxxxX

The 11 children and their 2 parents sat in the waiting room anxiously. Then the doctor walked in.

"Bakers?" he was surprised to see 13 people stand up, but shook it off "You may see him now, only one to three people at a time."

The family nodded and looked around.

Who would go in first?

"Hen, why don't you go first." Suggested Nora, knowing how much he looked up to Charlie

Henry looked up at his mother, as if asking for permission.

"Go on honey." She said

Henry nodded and stood, he timidly walked to Charlie's room, and with a deep breath he walked in.

"Hen!" said Charlie happily, but weakly. Charlie was white, but not as white as he had been at the park. He was still very pale though. His right hand and about halfway up his forearm was wrapped in bandages, a lot of them, almost cast-like.

"Charlie…" Henry whispered, walking over to his older brother.

Charlie then reached up and adjusted Henry's hat.

"There ya go!" said his brother with a weak smile.

Henry let out a chocked laugh/sob.

"Oh, Hen…please don't cry." Charlie begged.

But Henry couldn't help it, Charlie was his big brother, the one who made him look cool and feel happy. What if he died? Henry grabbed his brother into a hug as he cried into Charlie's shoulder.

Charlie stroked Henry's back, "Please don't cry Henry…" he was whispering.

Henry pulled back and looked at his brother.

"Hen, listen, I may be here for a while, so you're gonna be the man of the house." Henry smiled "I want you to make sure everyone behaves and is nice to eachother, I want you to make sure all the chores get done, and with a smile." Said Charlie

Henry let out a laugh. Whenever they had to do their chores Charlie had always made sure they made the house look nice and clean and that they did it with a smile. And whenever he saw them frowning he would make them smile, in many different ways. Sometimes he would make them laugh by doing something, or he would say something to make them smile, or he promised them something if they worked with a smile. Charlie had always been so sweet…

'Wait, why am I thinking in past tense?' Henry thought

Henry nodded "Of course Char. I'll make sure they smile."

Charlie laughed and smiled.

Henry then hugged his brother, this time they sat like that for a moment, silent tears streaming down their faces.

Henry pulled back, "You messed up your hat." Said Charlie, they both let out chocked laughs again.

"Um, I'm sure the others wanna see you too. Get better Charlie."

Charlie nodded and as Henry neared the door he added "Remember what I said Henry. Oh, and you know my hat that you love so much? The blue and silver one?" Henry nodded "It's yours. Next time I see you you'd better be wearing it." He said with a smile.

Henry chuckled and waved at his brother and walked out the hallway.

Next Sarah entered.

"Charlie…" she whispered, she then ran over to him and hugged him "Oh Charlie! I'm so sorry! This is all my fault!" she sobbed

"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah…" he said trying to calm her enough to talk to her, he pulled her back and looked into her eyes "Sarah, you can't cause cancer" he said with a chuckle

"But what if I hadn't been climbing that tree, what if I hadn't fallen and hurt you! You wouldn't be in here and you wouldn't have cancer!"

"Sarah, if anything what you did helped me."

Sarah looked at his puzzled "How did I help you by hurting you?"

"If we had found the cancer any later it would have been to late to treat and even cure. If you hadn't fallen from the tree and that branch hadn't stabbed me we would have never know I had cancer. I probably would have died later this year. Sarah, so thank you, if it hadn't been for you and your clumsiness I would have died." Sarah let out a small laugh, which was followed by a sob.

"Are you feeling ok?" she asked, almost afraid to ask it

"I'm feeling better now, thanks. How about you guys?…how's the family taking it?" he asked

"Well, they're all in the waiting room, they're crying, but who wouldn't be?" she stepped back "Please get better soon Charlie." She kissed him on the cheek and walked out.

Jessica and Kim walked in next.

"Hey Charlie." They said as they walked and stood at the right side of his bed.

"How are you feeling?" asked Kim

"I'm fine."

"You're not feeling any fatigue?"

"Nauseous?"

"Because that's very common with leuk…with this…" said Jessica

Charlie smiled at his sisters "Nope." He lied with a smile "I'm feeling fine."

"You sure?"

"Do you need us to get you anything?"

"Guys? I know something you can do."

"Yea?"

"You can stop acting like I'm gonna break." He said with a smile "I'm still the same Charlie."

Both looked down unsure of what to say. Charlie heard a small sob come from them.

"Girls, don't cry…ok, here's the deal, if you don't cry I'll play Cranium with you when I get home, and you can kick my butt like you always do. But you have to smile for me."

Both girls giggled and looked at their older brother. That offer was the pick-me-up they needed. Of course they knew he'd probably be feeling tiered when he got home so they weren't going to make him play…unless he really wanted to.

"Ok Charlie." Both girls said with a smiled

Charlie smiled "Oh and here." They said handing him a book. "It's 'Inkheart', that book you wanted to barrow from us." Charlie smiled at them

"Thanks guys! Now I'll have something to do besides stare at the wall!" he hugged them and they all smiled at eachother.

"I'll go get the next ones." Said Kim they two girls smiled and waved at their brother and walked out.

Next entered Mike, Mark and Jake.

"Hey Charlie." Greeted Jake, unsure of what to say or do.

"Hey boys!" he greeted happily

The 4 brothers sat in silence for a moment then

"So how are you guys feeling?" Charlie asked

Mark laughed slightly "Isn't it a little backwards that you're asking us how were feeling?"

Charlie smiled "Well, how _are_ you feeling."

They didn't say anything, but the look in their eyes answered it. They were worried.

"Don't worry about me boys. I'm fine."

Still they said nothing but looked like they wanted to cry.

"Look, if you all smile for me I'll spend an hour with each of you doing what ever you want when I get back."

They 3 looked up at their brother. Mike smiled

"You'll finally read Harry Potter to me?" Charlie smiled

"Yup."

Mark smiled next "You'll help me make Bean's grave look nicer?"

"Sure."

Jake smiled smally "You'll help me decorate my new skateboard?"

Charlie chuckled "Of course."

The three brothers smiled at their sick older brother.

"We'll go get whose next." They smiled and waved at their brother as they left the room

Before he could tell who came in next two loud voices called "Charlie!" excitedly, he knew who it was.

"Hey boys!" he said happily to his youngest brothers

The two of them sat on either side of Charlie on the bed. Charlie put his arms around them, careful not to pull out the IV in his arm.

"Momma said your sick." Said Kyle

"Are you gonna be ok?" asked Nigel

"Yea don't worry boys, I'll get better."

Tears formed in the young boys' eyes. They weren't sure why they were crying, but just the thought of their older brother being sick made them sad.

"Hey, hey now, don't cry." He said wiping away their tears "Ok, here's the deal, if you don't cry I'll play Monopoly with you when I get home." Both boys smiled excitedly

"Really?"

"Really, really." Said Charlie with a smile.

Monopoly Jr. was the youngest Baker's favorite game. They loved to play it with Charlie epically. He would always make funny faces and talk in weird voices when they played. The two smiled happily "Ok. We won't cry."

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise!" they said holding up their pinkys

Charlie did the pinky hand sake and the two jumped off the bed

"Bye-Bye Charlie! Come home soon!" the two ran past Nora and Lory, who were standing in the doorway, to go tell their mother what Charlie promised.

"Hey Nor, Lor." He greeted with a smile

"Hey Charlie." They greeted at the same time.

"How are you ladies today?"

"We're fine." They stood at either side of his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Don't lie to us Charlie."

There was a short pause, then

"I feel tiered and kinda weak, useless. But most of all…I-I'm scared." He said looking down, ashamed at the confession

"Oh Charlie…you're allowed to be scared."

"And you're not useless! Did you see the faces of those kids as they walked in compared to when they walked out? They'd come in here crying and sobbing, then they'd walk out smiling and giggling. Charlie, you have no idea how strong you're making those kids feel." Nora lectured

"And how strong you're being right now."

"But—I'm _not_ strong. I'm weak and scared…"

"Charlie, to take in all that crying and sobbing and turn it into happiness is a big thing, especially with these kids. Charlie, you smile and laugh you make jokes! You're not sitting in the corning crying and awaiting the end! That's what I would be doing. Charlie…you have no idea how strong you really are right now." Lory concluded

Charlie looked at his two sisters for a minute. A tear slid down his cheek "Thank you guys…really. You're making me feel so much better."

Both girls smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"Mom and dad wanna see you now."

The two girls went to the doorway and called to their parents.

Then they disappeared form Charlie's site and his parents walked in.

"Hey Chuck." Said Tom with a smile

"Hi honey." Kate greeted with a weak smile

"Hey mom, dad." Charlie smiled happily at his parent

His parents smiled at him.

Xxxxxxxxxxx Present Time xxxxxxxxxxX

Charlie awoke and looked around his bedroom, he had had chemo about 4 days ago and was still kinda tiered. But he mainly had all his strength back. He stood and looked out the window. It was snowing. He smiled

Christmas was in 2 weeks. They were off from school now. He saw that it was still dark out and looked at the clock

Six AM.

He looked back out the window, the snow made it seem lighter, even though the sun hadn't risen yet.  
He looked in the mirror. He had lost his hair like some chemo patients did. Well, not all of it. He still had a little bit left, but just barely. He always felt embarrassed about it. His teachers allowed him to wear his hat in school, they were the only ones who knew there. He pulled on his winter hat to hide it.

He then walked to his closet and pulled on his black hoody. He had on a pair of red and black plaid sleeping pants, warm socks and a gray t-shirt, and the sweatshirt of course. He then walked out the door and look around the hallway. He walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. He started to boil water to make everyone hot chocolate. He poured some hot water into a mug for himself and put in a tea bag instead of hot coco. He took a sip a leaned against the counter.

He looked at the clock once he finished his tea.

It was 7 am now. The kids would be getting up soon.

He pulled out 10 small mugs, which had each child's name on each one, and poured hot water into each one. Then he added the coco powder and then the wiped cream. He put a spoon in each one and poured himself more tea.

He walked to the living room and sat of the windowsill that was made to be a couch. He leaned against the wall and watched the snowfall.

Before he knew it all the kids were up and drinking their hot chocolate.

Kate and Tom came down and poured themselves coffee from the hot water. He sat unnoticed in the living room, not that he minded.

His family was only now starting to treat him normally. No one at school knew though. Only his close friend, Alex knew, and he treated him exactly the same as before. That's what he loved about Alex. He wouldn't care if you had a tree growing out of your face, if you're his friend, he'll treat you the same exact way.

"Morning Charlie." Came a voice from the doorway, causing him to jump. He turned to see his mother.

"Thanks for this." She said holding up her mug.

Charlie smiled and nodded.

"How ya feelin' hun?"

"Fine." He responded

"Good. The doctor called last night. We're supposed to go in and see him today." Charlie nodded

"Ok." He stated simply

He wasn't scared of death anymore. He had nearly died twice before after chemo. And he had faced his fear. The only thing he feared about death now was the affect it would have on his family if he did die.

How would they react?

Xxxxxxxxxxx Hospital xxxxxxxxxxX

Charlie and his parents sat in the waiting room. Charlie tugged on his hat. It was a nervous habit he had while in public.

"Charlie Baker?" the nurse called

Charlie and his parents stood. The nurse smiled warmly and led them to the doctor's office.

"Dr. Calden will be with you shortly." And she left

Charlie tugged on his hat again. His parents smiled at him and looked at the door as it opened.

"Hello Charlie!" he said happily, Charlie had become well acquainted with the doctor seeing as he did all his chemo.

"Hey." Charlie greeted

"Well I have news on your progress." Said the doctor with a smile

"From your smile I can tell it's not bad news." Stated Tom

The doctor smiled wider "Oh not at all." He pulled out his file "As I told you last month we were making great progress." The three nodded "Well, I am very happy to tell you…" he paused and smiled wider (if that was possible) at them…

"You're in remission."

All three froze…

Had he really said what he thought he had said?

Remission?

Really?

Charlie was the first to speak "R-really?" he whispered

Dr. Calden smiled warmly "Really."

An overjoyed sob escaped Kate and she hugged her son closely.

"Remission!" she sobbed happily

Tom joined the hug, Dr. Calden smiled and walked out to give them some time to let it soak in.

"You're in remission!" Kate sobbed again

Charlie let out a happy laugh as his parents hugged him closely.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Kate used her cell phone and called home.

"Hello?" came Lory's voice

"Lory, It's mom, Call Nora and tell her to come over. We need to talk to all of you." She said as emotionlessly as possible, she didn't want to blow the surprise. "We'll be home in about 5 minutes, make sure everyone is there and in the living room."

"Ok…mom is everything ok?"

"Just do as I asked please honey."

Then she hung up. The 3 laughed, unable to stop the joy flowing from them. This was so exciting.

Xxxxxxxxxxx Home xxxxxxxxxxX

"Sit down guys! They just pulled into the driveway!" Nora called to her younger siblings.

Kate, Tom and Charlie walked through the front door. And took off their boots and coats as agonizingly slow as they could, just to tease the kids.

They walked into the living room to see all of them staring anxiously.

"Well?" asked Sarah unable to hold back her worry

"Kids, we've got some big news."

There was a long pause

"I'm in remission." Said Charlie with a smile

The kids cried out happily and jumped up and hugged Charlie

"Omigod remission!" sobbed Nora happily as she hugged her brother

They all hugged and once Kate explained what remission was to the young twins they ran up and attached themselves to Charlie's legs and wouldn't let go.

This was the best Christmas present anyone could ask for.

Xxxxxxxxxxx END xxxxxxxxxxX

**Yea, cheesy ending! I know! But I love this story! Please review! **

**Note**: I'm no doctor. And no genius on cancer, so if I got any information wrong please tell me and I'll fix it!


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